Bristol City Council

Features

Four years on from booting out bailiffs, is Bristol’s ‘ethical’ council tax debt collection working?

Bristol City Council's 2018 vow to stop using bailiffs to collect unpaid council tax, after a Cable campaign, appears to be giving vulnerable people breathing space. But Covid and the cost of living crisis have seen debt levels spike.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards

Reports

Bristol councillor misconduct cases in line for shake-up as zero complaints upheld for six years

Democracy campaigners say they have lost faith in how misconduct allegations against councillors are being dealt with, and are demanding drastic changes.

Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Metro Mayor vetoes Bristol Underground plans at key vote as progress remains uncertain

The future for the “Future4West” scheme remains uncertain after region’s political leaders failed to come to an agreement.

John Wimperis

Reports

Community standoff with council over eviction threat of beloved Kuumba Centre in St Paul’s

The space next to Stokes Croft has served the local community for decades but activists are now fighting to secure its long-term future.

Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins
Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins

Reports

Analysis: It’s time for politicians to come together on mass transit

A leaked report has concluded that underground sections are needed and achievable in Bristol’s future mass transit system. As we move to the next stage in the process, we need our politicians to work together.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards

Reports

A CGI image of the proposed Redcatch Quarter, which would replace the Broadwalk Shopping Centre in south Bristol.

Row over shopping centre demolition decision grinds on after government walks away from intervening

Council planning lawyer argues decision to refuse proposed redevelopment of Broadwalk Centre in Knowle in May did not rule out this being reversed – as happened a few weeks later.

Alex Seabrook
Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

A fountain in front of City Hall in Bristol, a curved building

Bristol City Council slapped with warning over poor performance on freedom of information requests

The local authority has been criticised for years over its failure to responding to FOI requests within 20-day timescales.

Alex Seabrook
Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter)

Future of Cities

Image of a modern tram travelling along a narrow street in Bordeaux (credit: Per Karlsson / Alamy)

Trams, or an underground? As Bristol weighs its public transport options, can it learn from across the Channel?

Bristol is notorious for its congestion and poor public transport, and has been hit by a worsening bus crisis. As it looks to a new mass transit system to solve its problems, cities such as Rennes and Bordeaux can offer valuable lessons.

Steve Melia
Steve Melia

Reports

How local ‘health hubs’ could encourage more women to get checked for breast cancer

Bristol breast cancer rates are 16% higher than the national average, and women from deprived areas are less likely to attend appointments. We asked women about the impact better community-based services could make.

Steph Cullen
Steph Cullen

Future of Cities

Bristol’s flood defences are being pushed to their limit. What is the city’s long-term plan, and will it be enough?

The council is searching for an extra £100 million to fund future flood defences to protect low-lying areas of the city. While residents call for greater action, the Cable looks across the North Sea to Rotterdam for inspiration.

Billy Stockwell
Billy Stockwell

Reports

Bristol won’t bring in parking levy to fund transport as council forced to publish report

Mayor Marvin Rees has again hit out at sceptics of plans for a Bristol underground, and said smaller schemes won't do enough to give us the public transport we need.

Alex Seabrook
Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter) and Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Area in Focus

‘My anxiety levels are off the scale’: Tempers fray as student houses multiply on estate

As residents and students clash on High Kingsdown estate, Bristol City Council is being urged to enforce its own targets and lower the number of HMOs in the area. 

Billy Stockwell
Billy Stockwell
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